Anti-Chance. A Reply to Monod's Chance and Necessity by E. Schoffeniels

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Proteins and nucleic acids are made of a limited number of small molecules that are identical for all the living species. § They are the 20 a m i n o acids of the L series, 5 nitrogenous bases (uridine, thymidine, cytidine, adenine, t M . Florkin, Introduction à la Biochimie générale, Desoer (Liège), M a s s o n (Paris), 1944. % M. Florkin a n d E. Schoffeniels, Biochimie et Biologie moléculaire, Desoer (Liège), 1966). § See for instance A. L. Lehninger, Biochemistry, W o r t h P u b l . , 1970.

At the atomic level the notion of form such as conceptually derives from the macroscopic world surrounding us has n o place. The electron is not a point-like body whose position and speed are definable. It is represented only in statistical terms which define the probability of its presence t E. Schoffeniels, E. Hagemeijer a n d G. Rorive, Arch, internat. Physiol. Biochim. 74, 845 (1966). X M . Florkin, Aspects biochimiques communs aux êtres vivants, Desoer (Liège), M a s s o n (Paris), 1956. English translation: Unity and Diversity in Biochemistry, P e r g a m o n Press, Oxford, 1960.

This event took place at the dawn of Cambrian times. There is much discussion on the t (TP) triphosphate of (A) adenosine, G (guanosine), I (inosine), C (cytidine). 38 ANTI-CHANCE evolutionary significance of oxygen. Pasteur spoke of oxygen as the creator of differentiation. It is certain that oxidative phosphorylation considerably increased the possibilities for energy uses. Perhaps there was also a more specific oxygen effect favouring the aggregation of cells. It remains certain that all multicellular organisms are eukaryotic and none of them is strictly anaerobic.